Invalid bed-support.



No. 832,846. I PATENTED OUT. 1906.

E. SLSTEWART.

INVALID BED SUPPORT. APPLICATION FILED A1FE.2l ,19O3.

Wifiness es Zia en (for UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EVA SOPHIA STEWART, OF PORT ARTHUR, ONTARIO, CANADA.

INVALID BED-SUPPORT.

Patented Oct. 2, 19106.

Application filed April 21, 1903. Serial No. 153,635.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, EVA SOPHIA STEWART, music teacher, a resident of the town of Port Arthur, inthe district of Algoma, Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combination Invalid Bed-Support, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in bed-supports for invalids, and its objects are, first, to provide a comfortable back-support for the patient while reclining in any position from horizontal to vertical without the necessity of using pillows, cushions, &c. second, to provide a table and adjustable readingdesk in front of the patient, which may be held at any angle and at such a distance from the patient as may be desired; third, to pro,

vide a tray-holder or table on which medicines, drinks, or empty vessels may be placed until convenient to remove them from the room. I attain these objects by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of my improved bed-support; Fig. 2, a side view of the same folded up; Fig. 3, a perspective view of the table and the slides on which it is pivoted.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

A is a base adapted to rest on the bed, and comprising sills and suitable connecting cross-bars. On the sills of the base is hinged at a the back-rest B, comprising a suitable frame with canvas or bedticking nailed thereon. When in use, the back-rest is held in position by the brace O, comprising arms pivoted at b to the sides of the back-rest and a cross-bar adapted to rest, as shown, in the notches 0, formed in the sills of the base. It will be readily seen that the angle of the back-rest will depend upon which of the series of notches the cross-bar is engaged with.

I preferably provide a hook d, which may be engaged with any one of a series of staples e to securely hold the brace in position.

A slide D is movable in slots cut in the sills of the base, so that it may be drawn out at either side to form a table to receive medicines, empty vessels, &c., before they are removed from the room.

E represents arms hinged at f at each side of the back-rest. These arms are connected by chains H with the back-rest, so that they may be held in a substantially horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 1. Suitable screweyes form the connections between the chains and the back-rest and arms. In these arms are formed dovetailed grooves, with which engage dovetailed projections formed on the extension slides or bars F. Between the slides or bars F is pivoted a table G, preferably formed with a rim 9 at its inner edge to form a book-rest when the table is inclined for reading. This table is held in position when the patient is eating by means of buttons h engaging slots on theslides or bars F. The under side of the table is padded, as shown, to form a head-rest, when the arms E are swung up against the backrest.

From the constructiondescribed it will be seen that the patient may recline at any angle he may desire and have his table or bookrest at any angle and at any distance from him. He may also, if he desire it, have the table swung up so that he may use its padded back as a head-rest. When the support is not in use, it may be folded up very compactly, as indicated in Fig. 3.

The padded side of the table may be turned uppermost at any time for use as an arm-rest or for other purposes. It will be noticed that the table is merely provided with a lock to hold it horizontal with the board side uppermost. It might be arranged to lock in other positions; but this is not usually necessary, the patient himself maintaining it at the desired angle without particular effort.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a bed-support for invalids, asuitablyheld back-rest, in combination with arms hinged upon said back-rest and capable of folding against the same or of being opened to a substantially horizontal position, a table pivotally supported by the outer ends of the aforesaid arms, said table being pivoted substantially at its center whereby either side may be turned uppermost, and said table may be used as a head-rest when the arms are folded against the back-rest or may be tilted as desired when the arms are in a horizontal position, substantially as described.

2. In a bed-support for invalids, a suitablyheld back-rest, in combination with arms hinged upon said back-rest and capable of folding against the same or of being opened to a substantially horizontal position, a table pivotally supported by the outer ends of the aforesaid arms and having a ledge on one side and a cushioned head-rest formed at the other side, said table being pivoted substantially at its center whereby either side may be turned uppermost and used as a headrest when the arms are folded against the back-rest or tilted when use as a book-rest, substantially as described.

3. In a bed-support for invalids, a suitablyheld back-rest, in combination with arms hinged upon said back-rest and capable of folding against the same or of being opened to a substantially horizontal position, a pair of extension-slides carried by said hinged arms, and a table pivotally supported by said we tension-slides, said table being pivoted substantially at its center whereby either side may be turned uppermost; the extensionslides and the pivot coacting to enable the operator to adjust said table both back and forth and on its pivots, substantially as described. y

4. In a bed-support for invalids, a suitablyheld back-rest, in combination with arms hin ed upon said back-rest, bars sliding in sai arms, and a table pivoted intermediate the ends of said bars, substantially as described.

Port Arthur, Ontario.

EVA SOPHIA STEWART. In presence of MABEL STEWART, W. F. LANGWORTHY. 

